Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-08
DOWN WITH THE TOWERS.
illuminate the CITY with the Low
Lrghts---The cheapest and Hest.

illuminate the City with the Low
Lights---The Cheapest and Best.
If public sentiment were to be weighed
on the future method of lighting the
city, it is safe to estimate that at least
two out of every three people included
within the population of Rock Island,
would favor low light system. The city
has had experience of i've wears TO
judge by, and the public at large is not
at all satisfied with the result II is pot
necessary to criticise the company which
has furnished the public lighting during
that period in order to condemn the sys>
TEN. The company may have-aud
doubtless has-done the best it could
with the service at its command We
have nothing TO say on that point; but
the method of lighting the public streets
since the inauguration Of electric lights
has not given general satisfaction In
asmuch, therefore, as the tower sys-
ten has been tried and found
wanting, it is no more than fair that The
low lights be given trial through the
kindness OF the Rock Island County
Brush Electric Light company, the city
has during the past six weeks had oppor,
tunity to Judge of the merits OF four
lights to the tower, The company hav-
ing IN hand the contract and owning the
towers has added two lights to each of
the eleven towers and maintained the
same st It's own expense. While the re-
suit was double the amount of light in
the immediate neighborhood of the tow
ers. the localities which have always
been dark were not benefited. The
fault is not so much in the strength of
the light, as ia the fact that the towers are
so few, and SD far between, that there is
an immense amount of territory which is
not reached by the rays from the lights.
There is very strong objection to the
towers, on the ground that the lights are
too high, that the higher elements receive
more of benefit FROM them than us poor
sinners down below. who are obliged to
stand the expense.
The ARGUS has nothing to say as to the
respective merits of the companies bid
| ding for the privilege of Illuminating the
city for the period which is to follow the
| expiration of the present contract We
| believe, however, that the low lights will
| he the best and less expensive IN the end
The Brush company makes Z comnina-
| ton hid including the towers in all the
propositions made, agreeing to furnish
Twenty-Five lamps on the present eleven
towers and twenty mast lights for 81 300;
or fortysfOur tower lamps and twenty
| low lights for Sc 900 The Merchants
company offers to put up twentrtwo
| lamps on the eleven towers and twenty
low lights for 81 21S; or forty-fOur
| lamps on tue eleven towers and twenty
low lights for 1886
For the low lights the Brush charge al
the rate of 800 each. the Merchant,
500. The Merchants company agrees to
light the city locating low light at every
other corner all over the city, putting in
ninety two in all, at the rate OF 500 per
lamp. which would cost the city SIS. 34S
The city has been paying about $4,000
per annum for light The arrangement
OF furnishing light at the intersection of
every alternate street would give every
block III the city two lights and the plan.
while not being so economical as shown
by some the bids of both companies, Is
much cheaper than the present system
1t matters not who gets the contract so
that tie city is properly lighted at the
tunes when light is needed. regardless nj
location or almaOsC.
The street light committee met this
morning and have advertised for bids
twenty tive lights on eleven towers anC
fifty two low lights, for forty four light.
on eleven towers and thirty low lights
or for ninety low lights The city re
ives the right to change the location of
all towers except that on Twenty second
sneet and Fourth avenue, for which thu
contractor is to pay $50 per year. The
lights are to he lighted on all dark hours
: whether the moon shtces or not. All
bidders are to give bonds of So beo